FRANK MALONEY believes David Price is developing at a rate which will see him become the dominant heavyweight in the world.

The 6’8” West Derby fighter faces the sternest test of his career when he takes on two-time world title challenger Tony Thompson at the ECHO Arena on Saturday night.

Promoter Maloney says victory over 41-year-old Thompson will catapult Price into a high ranking with all the major governing bodies as he edges ever closer to a world title fight.

And such is Maloney’s faith in the 29-year-old that he is convinced Price will become a bigger attraction than Britain’s last great heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis.

“We have got to go and unify the division because I have looked at every heavyweight out there and if he continues to improve then there is nobody who can stop him,” said Maloney.

“This fight will move him into the top half of every world organisation. You don’t usually get two world class fighters fighting each other when there is no belt on the line. I got asked about Michael Sprott last month. That fight would be like going back to Matt Skelton. If I phoned David up and said I had Michael Sprott lined up, he would not want to get out of bed.

“That is not being disrespectful, but just where we need to be looking now.

“If we can’t get Dereck Chisora or Tyson Fury for the British title then he may never win the Lonsdale Belt outright but every fight now has got to be that extra step towards where we are going.”

Over 6,000 fans are expected at the ECHO Arena this weekend and though the dockside venue has a bigger capacity, Maloney admits there will come a time soon when Price will outgrow any indoor stage in the city.

“I don’t think there is anywhere we can beat the atmosphere we have in Liverpool,” he added.

“But the question is ‘will the ECHO be big enough as we progress?’ This guy is capable of doing things people will not believe. I know I do talk nonsense at times but I truthfully believe he will go to a level which sees him surpass Lennox Lewis. Lennox didn’t really capture the public’s imagination. When he retired he did, because they missed him, but the British public relate to David more.”

Maloney confirmed that as well as being screened in the UK and the United States of America, Price’s fight will also be shown live in China.